{christmas bucket list}

Okay, so this is more of a 'to-do' than a 'bucket list.'  But since I love lists and lots of other bloggers are doing this, I thought I would join in the fun...

1. Cut down tree and decorate.

the tree!

2. Attend my very first 'ugly Christmas sweater' party.  Yes, my very first, and I am thirty-two. I couldn't find a sweater but only a tacky, ill-fitting holiday turtleneck for two dollars at Goodwill.   Here is a shot of some lovely ladies at our "crafty" Christmas party.  If you could see the detail on my turtleneck it has black Scottish terriers on it with crazy eyes and holly on their collars...

4. Take photos for Christmas card.  I am not sure why I always wait until December to do this.   Anyway, this year we were all sick with yucky colds and there was major snow falling outside so we had to take them inside by our tree. Here is an outtake.  This one will not be the card, don't worry.

family pic fail.

5. Send out said Christmas card.
6. Bake cookies and deliver to friends.  I've never been a big baker but now that Cormac is old enough to help me we have been on quite a cookie baking spree.  He loves helping and it gives me an excuse to use my pretty stand mixer.  Because I don't want to eat the whole batch myself we have been delivering some to various lady friends - mostly preggos!

7. Celebrate Christmas Eve/Day at our home -- for the first time EVER.  Usually we are in MN or at my in-laws for these two days...but this year we will have 'our' family celebration on the actual night/morning of Christmas.  I don't know why this means so much to me...but it does.  It is what my family did growing up, and it is what I desire for our little growing fam.  However, the entire weekend prior to Christmas will be spent with the Hubby's fam, and the day after Christmas we will drive to Minnesota for a giant reunion/celebration/crazy gathering at my parent's farm.  It will be nothing short of chaotic.  So excited for all the festivities!
8. Make cookies for Santa.  Set out, with milk.  Cormac already knows exactly where we will set these.
9. Purchase and hang mistletoe.  I actually got what is called a "kissing ball" at Michael's...and I adore it.  There was already a hook set into the huge doorframe between our kitchen and living room, so I decided it was fate that some mistletoe (or, fine, a kissing ball) be hung there.   SO worth it.  Cormac is constantly "catching me" under the kissing ball and running into me at full speed and kissing my legs.  Or I bring him or Finola under there and give them a million kisses, which he thinks is hilarious.  Or if he refuses, Hubby and I take a turn under there.  Also kind of nice.  :)  Best 6.99 I ever spent.

10.  Have all presents purchased and wrapped by December 15th.  Ha.

Okay, I'd better stop at ten.  It is a nice round number, and I prefer not to overwhelm myself.  Couple things I had to leave off the list to maintain my sanity -- the Elf on the Shelf thing (it looks fun but think I will wait til the kiddos are a bit older) and creating and carrying out an advent calendar.  There are so many cute ideas on Pinterest, but again, with all our travel and craziness and an infant I don't want to make myself crazy crazier than I already am.

What's on your Christmas bucket list this year???